Stay with Me
by Elephantastiic
Summary: Olivia witnesses the kiss between Elliot and Dani and decides to permanently leave the precinct and take on a new job. Elliot forms an intimate relationship with Dani Beck. Three months have passed and what is to come is unknown. Rating may change. c:
1. Flashback

**Author's Note: Hello! I'm really thrilled to be writing another SVU fanfic! This one takes place after the episode _Underbelly_ where Dani Beck and Elliot Stabler kiss. I made this one to focus on one thing that I would've loved to see in the episode. What if Olivia saw them kissing and how would that change things? I hope you like this story because I intend for it to be filled with a lot of E/O action!**

**Disclaimer: Everything in this story that has a relation to Law and Order: Special Victims Unit is owned by Dick Wolf. I own nothing! c: **

**Chapter One: Flashback**

"_Casey, have you seen Elliot?"_

"_Olivia, what are you doing here?"_

"_Munch told me you guys came here. I need to find Elliot. Where is he?"_

"_He just left like two seconds ago but Olivia, I should tell you-"_

_It was too late, Olivia pushed past the crowd in the bar. If she went fast enough, she could still find Elliot. She needed to tell him the truth. How's she been feeling about him this whole time. She wanted to tell him how her heart sped up just a little when they touched, or when they were extremely close. How she loved him more than he could ever know. It was time to let those inner feelings out and she had her chance earlier today at the precinct but decided not to when she ran into her replacement instead. She saw how friendly Elliot was to her but he's an all around nice guy. He was probably making her feel welcome and Olivia kept telling herself she just overreacted by thinking he liked this Dani Beck. She wanted to work with him again and as soon as possible. She loved Elliot and wanted to be at his side for as long as it took. _

_Olivia reminded herself of all the things she loved about Elliot while she went to the parking lot. Her heart was racing and her hands were trembling with adrenaline. This was going to be the day her relationship with Elliot Stabler was going to change for the rest of their lives. That is, until she got to the parking lot. Olivia froze instantly when she saw the car with the open door in the near empty lot. The two figures were close, holding each other, touching, smiling and…kissing. Olivia felt the whole world crash and shatter into a million pieces only to later realize that wasn't the world that broke, it was her heart. The fresh tears were hot as they filled her eyes and the impossible to swallow lump appeared in her throat. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't get away. Her eyes were fixed on Elliot kissing his new partner. The partner that was perfect for him. He was happy now and that's all that mattered to him. He didn't need her. He had Dani Beck. _

_The only thing that unstuck Olivia's feet to the ground was the ringing of their cellphones. The phones they neglected to answer because they were too busy kissing until they finally gave in. Olivia finally got herself to leave the parking lot. She mentally scolded herself for being so stupid to even think he wanted Olivia back. To get her hopes up and think there was nothing to between Elliot and Dani when in fact, there was nothing between Elliot and Olivia. All those seemingly intimate times were professional nothing personal. The next day, Olivia told her Captain she was wanted to be reassigned to a new job so Elliot could work happily with his new partner. Cragen tried to convince her to change her mind but she refused so he made it so. Elliot and Olivia's relationship did change that night but not in the way Olivia wanted or expected it to. From that point on, the two never spoke again._

**Three months later**

_Beep beep!_

"Come on lady! Move it! The damn light is green!" Shouted a voice from behind.

Olivia jumped and blinked back to realization when she heard a loud honk coming from the car behind her followed by the screams of an angry New Yorker. She was thinking about it again. She was having those flashbacks again. About the day she went to the precinct after working undercover. How she met Dani Beck then realized that she was a more suitable partner for Elliot and told Cragen she wasn't ready to come back yet. Then, shortly after she realized that was a ridiculous thought only to find out it was true when she saw them kissing in the parking lot later that night. The day her heart broke. It still killed her inside and she never stopped loving Elliot, though she has looked for different alternatives. Blind dates, formal clubs, and making friends at her new job, even a little coworker flirtation. Olivia now worked as a guidance counselor for victims of rape and abuse. Some of rapists have never been caught and each time she heard the victims tell her that, it made her want to go out and find them herself. Hearing the victim's stories made her made her miss her old job sometimes. Her desk, Fin, Munch, and most of all, Elliot. Then she would remind herself Elliot had Dani now and was much better off.

As Olivia gripped onto the steering wheel, blinked back the tears and stepped on the gas, she forced herself not to pay any attention to the upcoming building on her left. Everyday she would pass it and tell herself the same thing which was not to look at it. The sixteenth precinct of Manhattan. The place she worked for most of her career. If she did look, then she'd be reminded of all the memories she had working there. Today was no different, she tried to convince herself not to even glance at the place. When she went against her word and looked out of her window, she saw Elliot and almost crashed her car. She wanted to jump out of her car in the middle of moving traffic and talk to him. Tell him how much she missed working there and how she wanted to go back. Instead of doing that, though, she only sped up and went forward to her new job before he saw her. Luckily, he wouldn't recognize her car. This has been the first time in eleven years Olivia used her very own car to drive to work. All the other times she would go with Elliot. Not anymore.

After transferring from the precinct, Olivia wanted to change herself before going to her new job. She ditched the ponytail and let her hair fall to the base of her neck and let her side bang cover her left eye. She added highlights to make the sexy but professional look complete. Since her new job wasn't as rigorous as her job as a cop, she got to wear shirts that hugged her curves a little more. Pants that were impossible to run and stretch in but still really cute. She also grew an interest in yoga pants. Today, she decided to wear a pair of comfortable and stretchy pants that clung to her waist along with a plain white v-neck shirt, exposing her cleavage that peeked out. This job was definitely less strict than the other one.

Back in the precinct, Elliot sat at his desk across from the sandy blonde haired woman. Elliot and Dani have grown a romantic relationship since that night at the bar parking lot. Dani was at one point pretty close to leaving but they worked things out and Dani was there until further notice. Their relationship was strong but not as strong as the relationship Elliot had with Olivia. To Elliot, Olivia was like no other friend or partner he's had before. She understood him the most and was there when nobody else was. He could tell things he would never dream of telling Dani or even Kathy for that matter. They made each other realize things about themselves that they would never even think was possible. Yes, Olivia was someone who was especially special in his life.

The problem was, he hasn't seen Olivia in months. She wasn't supposed to be undercover this long. He's even seen Dean Porter wandering around the precinct about new cases but Olivia hasn't arrived back yet. At one point, Elliot thought she was hurt, or killed. He finally asked Cragen where she was and he said she went and he said she worked someplace else now permanently. He got upset, saying why he never mentioned this to him before. It made him upset for the longest time but Elliot didn't show it to many people. He tried to call Olivia but she never responded. That only made him miss her more than he already did.

Little did Dani know, she's already seen Olivia once before. She tried talking to Elliot about Olivia a few times, just to get to know more about her. Elliot would give her responses like, "She was a hard worker," or "She was really good with a gun" but nothing personal. He never told her how she would put her line on the life for her friends and family or victims who weren't being treated fairly. Or how she knew how to talk to kids to get them to love her. He would never mention how sexy and beautiful she could be when she didn't mean to and even more alluring when she did. Elliot never shared any of that personal stuff with Dani. He didn't want her to think this was a competition so he would always tell her she was a great partner and he couldn't ask for anybody better. The lie there was, he could ask for someone better and that was Olivia.

"What's on your mind, El?" Dani asked. If Olivia heard Dani Beck call Elliot "El", she would've gone crazy. Dani only picked up that habit from the others at the precinct.

"Nothing." Elliot replied. He thought about Olivia way more than he should. Especially if he's in a relationship with Dani now.

"I know it's nothing, now spill." Dani replied. That's when Cragen came out of the office and over to the two.

"There was a rape about a month ago. The victim is just speaking up about it today in counseling. You should go over to the counseling office and see what happened. Who knows how many more victims that perp has attacked."

Elliot and Dani got the address, stood up and walked out of the precinct. Elliot looked out on the street and before he turned to Dani, he saw a flash of brown hair pass him in the car. The driver looked a lot like Olivia but Elliot only called himself crazy. He was probably seeing her everywhere because he thought about her more than he needed to. He blinked to get that thought out of his head and turned to Dani who was smiling at him.

"Ready?" She asked.

"Yeah, let's go." Elliot replied. Dani kissed him lightly on the lips and the two made their way to the car.


	2. Tension

**Chapter Two: Tension**

Dani and Elliot pulled up into the brick building. It was well kept and very welcoming which helped them identify the structure immediately. When the two entered the building and as soon as they got off the elevator they were greeted by the receptionist.

"I'm Detective Stabler, this is Detective Beck. We're with Special Victims Unit. We got a report that there was a child here who is just now reporting her rape?"

""Yes, but I'm afraid you can't talk to her right now. You need her counselor's permission but they're in a session so you'll just have to wait until they're done." The older woman replied.

"Do you know when they'll be done?" Dani asked.

"They should be finishing up any moment now." She said as she looked at her watch. "You can just wait there until they come out." She pointed to the couches over in another room.

About five minutes later, a door to one of the offices opened and out walked a little girl with raven hair, pale skin and green eyes. Behind her followed someone that Elliot didn't expect to see at all. She knelt down to the young child's height.

"Try not to think about it, Rebecca. Everything will be okay. Do you feel better now that you've talked a little bit about it?" Olivia asked her.

The girl nodded and hugged her counselor tightly. Olivia smiled kindly and pulled her in for the hug, her eyes trailed up to see Elliot standing there with a warm but very stunned facial expression. He stared at Olivia. The new Olivia, to him. He's never seen her like this. Elliot wasn't sure what to think or feel right now. He wanted to be angry because she left without telling him. He wanted to be happy because he found her and he now knows she's still in the city. At the same time, she was even more attracted to her because of her new appearance. He's never seen Olivia in tight pants before, sweats maybe, but nothing that showed off her curves any better than her current outfit did. A dress, perhaps, but he rarely saw her in any of those. He couldn't stop thinking how desirable she looked and how much he wanted her at that moment. Olivia stood up straight and almost smiled. Her urge to smile quickly disappeared when she saw Dani Beck appear right beside him.

"You look familiar to me." Dani spoke up, breaking the tension between Olivia and Elliot.

"I'm sorry, but I think you might've gotten me confused with someone else." Olivia replied as nicely as she could.

"No, no, I've definitely seen you before. I'll remember soon enough." She said and knelt down to Rebecca, "Hi, I'm Dani. Do you mind if my partner and I ask you a few questions?" The small girl looked up at Olivia with uncertainty. Olivia nodded and let her walk off with Dani.

"You go ahead, Dani. I'll see if her counselor knows something." Elliot said. Dani nodded and walked over to the waiting area to interview.

"So, what do you-" Olivia's words were cut off by Elliot's arms. He pulled her into a tight hug. A hug so strong, that he feared she would disappear again if he let her go. Olivia was a bit taken off guard but the warm feeling of being in Elliot's arms made her calm down instantly. Her heart began to speed up a little as she wrapped her own arms around him. Then they heard Dani's voice in the other room and Elliot let go of her with almost no hesitation even though he wanted to hold Olivia for as long as he could. He looked at Olivia's confused face, taking in the new features he failed to see over the three months.

"Why'd you leave the precinct, Liv? Why did you leave and not tell anybody?" He asked, the desperation for an answer was clear in his voice.

"El, I can't say. I just.." Olivia sighed and searched for a quick excuse other than the real reason as to why she left. "Working undercover just made me want to take a break from things."

Elliot looked at her with blank eyes. "And it just slipped your mind to tell your partner?"

"Elliot, I didn't want to distract you from your work!" Olivia replied.

Elliot scoffed, "Yeah, because I'd never know that my old partner just magically disappeared."

"El, please, I don't want to argue with you. Especially, not about this." Her eyes were pleading for some resolution.

"Fine. Let's meet for drinks tonight. Seven thirty. You know the place I'm talking about."

Olivia sighed, "Fine. Invite Fin and Munch." She replied. He nodded in agreement and went back to Dani. Olivia was about to go back into her office when someone called her name.

"Olivia! Hold on a second!"

Elliot turned around to see what was going on. He watched as a tan skinned, hazel eyed, athletically built, black haired man run up to Olivia and snake his arm around her shoulders. The look on Olivia's face completely changed when he approached her. Her eyes lit up and a smile came across her face instantly. When he showed her what he had in his hand, she couldn't keep her eyes off of him. It pained Elliot to finally realize what was going on. Olivia _liked_ this man. He could tell by her body language and the way she talked to him. Elliot's jaw tightened a little. He's always been protective over Olivia when it came to romantic interests. This time is was protection with some jealousy.

"Bring your boyfriend too!" Elliot called out. The two looked up at him and Olivia's face reddened a little.

"Only if you bring yours." Olivia replied, referring to Dani, and Elliot stared at her in disbelief. Olivia looked at him slyly, eyebrow raised, and a smirk on her face. Elliot chuckled to himself, turned around and continued walking.

"Who is that?" Elliot heard the man murmur.

"You'll find out later." Olivia replied and glared at Elliot.

Elliot returned to Dani who was now finished questioning the little girl. Her mother came by to pick her up while Elliot was talking to Olivia.

"Did se say anything?" Dani asked.

"Not really. I guess the little girl was still too afraid to say anything to her." Elliot lied. He wasn't sure what he was going to tell Cragen. "I think we would get more information out of the parents." He told her as he dialed Cragen's number. When he told him what the news was, Cragen sent out Munch and Fin to question the parents.

"So, what are the plans for tonight?" Dani asked when Elliot hung up.

"Let's go out for some drinks. I want you to meet someone." Elliot replied and wrapped his arm around her waist. He took one more glance at Olivia before walking onto the elevator. She was looked right back at him, smirked, and went into her office when he was out of her sight.


	3. Truth and Lies

**Chapter Three: Truth and Lies**

"So, then the bitch blames me for losing the evidence!" Casey exclaims from Olivia's bedroom while Olivia got ready in her bathroom for her get together.

"I'm starting to get the feeling Elliot is the only one who tolerates Dani." Olivia replied and turned on the blow dryer. Casey didn't reply until she turned it on.

"Speaking on behalf of myself, I would like her out of the precinct as soon as possible." Casey sighed, "Please, come back, Liv. Everybody misses you."

"As much as I miss you guys too, I can't. Dani seems like she's on a roll with all of these cases and I would hate to break that." The second part was a lie and the lack of protest made it obvious Casey knew it was a lie. Deep down, Olivia would love to strip Dani of her job as fast as possible but Elliot liked her so Olivia spared the blonde girl.

Casey groaned with irritability, "Fine, but don't think it's over now. Your ass will be back in the chair with a gun stuck to your hip even if I have to glue it myself." She sighed and looked around, "Why'd you say Munch and Fin couldn't come?"

"They said it was personal. I don't know." Olivia finally came out in a tunic tank top that cut down low in the front, dark denim jeans, and a pair of black boots. Casey sat up in surprise, "Wow." She said, "Liv, I didn't even know you had clothes like this in your closet. Some advice from a friend, Liv, show off your curves more. Dani doesn't, she wears those baggy clothes but I'm sure she's got nothing on you."

Olivia smiled brightly and went over to her mirror, "I just want to look good for him! I think I really like him." She said excitedly as she put on her necklace and other jewelry. Casey has never really seen Olivia this perky before.

"I'm sure Elliot will be impressed." Casey muttered. Olivia stopped and looked at her in the mirror. "What?" She asked. Casey shook her head, "Nothing. Who's this guy you're going with? Is he like the Elliot of your new job?"

Olivia turned around and leaned against the dresser, "His name is Ryan, and he's not exactly like Elliot but he reminds me a lot of him. He's loud when he wants to be and tough when he needs to be. Just imagine Elliot but a lot calmer everyday and you'll have this guy." Olivia explained.

"What about the fact you don't mix pleasure with work? How's that gonna happen if you're two doors down from him?"

"I might just make an exception."

"I'm still angry I can't go. I really want to meet this guy." Casey complained and crossed her arms.

"It's okay, thanks for coming by. I should get going though. They should already be there." Olivia looked at her watch and then grabbed her coat. She and Casey both walked out of Olivia's apartment and parted ways when they got outside.

The bar wasn't very far from Olivia's apartment so it was easy for her to walk there. When she arrived, Elliot was the first to notice her but it took him a while to actually say something. He was amazed at how sexy Olivia looked. For some reason he couldn't take his eyes off of her until Dani said something.

"There she is!" Dani called out. The three sat at the rounded table and already getting started on their drinks when Olivia approached them.

Olivia smiled and placed her hand on Ryan's back as she sat down on the stool next to him. "Sorry I'm late." She said and looked at Elliot. He was looking back at her with a bottle of beer dangling between his fingers.

"You look amazing." Ryan told her, obviously just as attracted to her as Elliot was. Elliot just didn't make it as noticeable.

As the night went on, Elliot and Olivia didn't really talk much. It didn't stop them from staring at each other though. "So, Dani, how did you and Elliot know that you two were meant for each other?"

Olivia's eyes widened a little bit. Here comes the story that kept Olivia from her job and her life at the precinct. She felt now was the appropriate time for a drink. She caught the waiter's attention and ordered a beer.

"When I came to the Special Victims Unit, Elliot and I got off to a rocky start but then we got closer because we seemed to connect over time. Then, it just happened. You know, he kissed me and we took it from there." She smiled and took Elliot's hand.

Olivia smiled on the outside but all she could think was, _Bullshit._

"Elliot, how do you know Olivia?" Dani asked. Her holding his hand irritated Olivia. She only kept calm and took a sip of her beer.

"She was my old partner." He said and all eyes were on her. Olivia shrugged modestly and smiled. "For a while, yeah." Olivia replied.

"Oh, so you're Olivia! I knew you looked familiar! All those pictures Elliot has on his desk, I just thought you were his sister."

"Elliot doesn't have a sister." Olivia replied so quickly, that it was almost like she had it written out in front of her It almost sounded defensive in a way. If this girl was serious about Elliot, she should at least know his family. She averted her eye contact with Dani, embarrassed at her outburst.

"Hey, are you guys up for a drinking game?" Ryan asked. "It's called truth and lies. We go around and say three things about ourselves to one other person. Two of them are lies and one will be the truth but you can't say which. The point is for the opponent to guess the true statement. If the person we say it to gets it right, then we keep going but if they get it wrong then they have to take a shot." He explained and then ordered a round of shots for the table once everybody agreed.

The first few rounds were harmless things, such as favorite colors, animals, vacation spots, but when everybody started getting lightheaded, that's when the personal facts came into play.

"Dani, it's your turn." Elliot said and looked over at her.

"Okay…Olivia." She looked at the brunette, "My first job was at gentlemen's club, I've kissed a girl before, and I was married before I met Elliot."

Olivia stared at her for a moment, "Your first job was at a gentlemen's club." It was a stab in the dark; she didn't know _anything_ about this girl except she stole her job and her partner from her.

"Wrong!" Dani shouted obnoxiously, "I was definitely married before I came to SVU." The only questions Dani got right were the easy ones about Elliot. She was probably the most intoxicated one out of the four of them. Everybody laughed and cheered as Olivia downed the drink, just like they did with the others. She could almost feel the pain from a broken heart being washed away with the alcohol.

"Okay, last one before we move onto something else. Elliot, go ahead." Ryan said. He moved his hand from under the table and onto Olivia's knee. He looked at her and smiled. Olivia smiled back but was still a little uncertain.

"Ryan, I've worked with Olivia for about eight years, I'm deeply in love with Olivia, and I prefer working with Olivia over Dani." He said. He looked over at Dani who seemed confident in what the two lies were. Olivia, however, stared at him in confusion.

"Umm, you've worked with Olivia for eight years?" He guessed. Elliot smiled in defeat. He laughed then turned to Dani and kissed her deeply. Olivia couldn't bear it any longer. She didn't want to see, talk to, or even think about Elliot now that she knew the answer to the question she's been asking herself for years. The question if Elliot had any feelings for her at all. Olivia smiled to cover up her pain.

"It's getting late. I think I should go." Olivia said and stood up.

"It's Friday and it's only going on midnight, Liv. Come on, stay a little longer." Elliot pleaded.

"I really can't. I have an appointment tomorrow. Nice seeing you." She told Elliot and Dani. Olivia grabbed her coat and as soon as she turned around, the fake smile left her face. The February chill was definitely in the air along with a little snow but that didn't stop Olivia from keeping her jacket off. She walked down the snowy street, trying to get home as soon as possible to make the pain, stress, and embarrassment go away. The best thing she could do was cry it out.

"Olivia, wait!" Olivia turned around to see Ryan running behind her. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She replied and kept walking, she was shivering but refused to put on her jacket. Ryan took his own jacket off and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Let me drive you home." He insisted.

"I only live a few blocks down."

"Then let me walk you home."

Olivia sighed and kept walking. Ryan kept his jacket steady on her shoulders by keeping his arm around her, and to keep her warm. After talking to Ryan, Olivia concluded that Elliot has found the person he's in love with and will never go to her, so why is she still stuck on him? Finally, Olivia and Ryan walked up to Olivia's apartment door. Olivia took off his jacket and handed it to him with a thankful smile. When she got the door unlocked and open, she turned to him.

"I guess I'll see you at work." Ryan said kindly.

Olivia looked at him, the alcohol, her emotions, and the rush of everything that's gone in the night all combined into one. She didn't need Elliot. She didn't want Elliot. Elliot didn't want her so she needed to show him she could do better.

"Olivia?" Ryan became a little worried since Olivia didn't reply to his goodbye. He was worried she could've been sick or upset. Instead, she leaned in and kissed him. Ryan was a little surprised but he went along with it. He wrapped his arms around her waist and returned the kiss. Olivia was the first to deepen it. She felt Ryan's hands on her stomach underneath her shirt. Then she remembered her personal rule. The rule she doesn't mix work with pleasure.

"Ryan," She breathed but the drinks she had consumed her mind. She couldn't think about what she wanted to say next and she definitely didn't consider the fact she would most likely regret this in the morning. She stared into Ryan's green eyes and smiled. "Let's go inside." She whispered and led him inside. She pulled him into her bedroom but that didn't stop her from thinking about Elliot as much as she didn't want to.


	4. Hopeless

**Chapter Four: Hopeless**

The next morning Olivia woke up with strong, warm, arms wrapped around her. For a split second, she dreamt they were Elliot's but then reality hit her. They weren't. They were Ryan's. Olivia realized she was nude and her head hurt. After that, the whole night caught up with her. The drinks, the kiss, the sex. It all happened so fast. She had a hard time remembering what happened the night before. Why did she drink so much? Elliot and Dani were two little lovebirds and making it clear at the table, that's why. How did she end up inviting Ryan over? It was cold, he knew she was upset, he comforted her, and she kissed him. One thing led to another and everything happened. She even tried to think if the sex was good. If it wasn't, then he'd probably be waking up in his own bed at this time. As good as the night turned out and as nice as Ryan was and has been to her, a part of Olivia felt uncomfortable. She remembered something almost instantly that she wished her hangover made her forget. The whole night she was in bed with Ryan, she couldn't stop thinking of Elliot. She was even afraid she would say his name a few times and that made her feel terrible. Olivia finally collected her thoughts and looked at the clock. She sighed and sat up, that's when Ryan began to stir. He opened his eyes and smiled at her.

"I don't even know how to begin to describe how incredible last night was." Ryan said. Olivia only smiled and kissed his cheek.

"It was fun, but I didn't realize the time. I have to get going." Olivia said apologetically. She stood up, grabbed her robe, and made her way to the shower.

"Where? Do you need me to drive you?" Ryan asked as he began dressing himself.

Olivia leaned out from the doorway, "You make it sound like I don't have a car. I can take care of it myself." She said with a smile.

"Alright. I'll see you at work later?" Ryan asked, even though he knew he was.

Olivia nodded. The two quickly kissed goodbye and Ryan left. Olivia proceeded to take a shower and get ready to leave her house.

When Olivia got to her destination, she made sure that nobody saw her enter. Olivia opened the doors to the precinct and went straight to George Huang's office. She kept her head low so nobody would recognize her. She didn't want the attention from her ex coworkers and start a big deal as to why she was there in the first place. She knocked on Dr. Huang's door and opened it when he allowed entry. He looked up and was surprised to see her.

"Olivia, what are you doing here? I haven't seen you in months." He said and invited her to sit.

"I know, I came here to see you specifically. I need to talk to you." She replied as she took off her jacket.

"Alright, what's bothering you?"

"I went for drinks with a friend, Elliot and his partner, Dani. They were happy and kissing and talking about all these good times. How long have they been serious?"

"A few months, maybe. I can't say for sure."

Olivia nodded, "He seems happier with her than he was with Kathy. I'm glad he is." She looked down at her lap and bit her lower lip. She didn't sound convincing at all.

"He misses you, Olivia. That I can definitely tell you."

Olivia kept her gaze down scoffed, and shook her head. "He doesn't miss me." She muttered.

Dr. Huang leaned in, "Olivia he called you more times than I can count the first two months. He only stopped because he still thought you were undercover. He's even come to see me about you. If this wasn't serious, then I wouldn't be telling you."

Olivia played with the edge of her sleeve. "I think about him. A lot." She said in a low tone of voice. "More than I need to."

"How often do you think about Elliot, Olivia?"

She felt like a victim or a perp being in this situation but she couldn't get herself to leave. "I think about him everyday. All day." She whispered. There was silence and finally Dr. Huang spoke up.

"You love him, don't you?"

A small whimper escaped Olivia as she nodded. Her chin was trembling and she was biting her lower lip to stop it but it was no use.

"I thought transferring to a new job would make it go away. It hasn't, the further away from him I am, the more difficult it is to forget him." Tears were rolling down her cheeks when she looked up at him. "I feel lost and I need Elliot's embrace to make me feel whole again. Otherwise, I think I'd be completely hopeless."

"The best thing you can do is tell him. Maybe things will work out better than you think they will."

Olivia shook her head, "Last time I was going to tell him, he was kissing…her." She let out a heavy and shaky breath.

"Last time, you were _going_ to tell him. You never did so he never knew."

"Yeah, well, now it's too late for me to do anything." She said and stood up, "Thanks for seeing me." She finished with a faint smile and walked out of his office. Olivia rushed out of the precinct and brushed past Elliot on her way out. Elliot turned around to see her leaving. He dropped what he was doing and quickly followed her.

"Liv!" He called out but by the time he reached the elevators, the doors closed and Olivia was gone. He sighed and went back to his desk. About twenty minutes of thinking, he got an idea. Elliot went on the website for the company Olivia worked for and dialed the number that connected him to Olivia's office. Elliot was hoping this would work and she wouldn't recognize his voice.

"Olivia Benson." She finally spoke into the voice. Since she didn't answer immediately, he figured she was just walking into her office.

Elliot made sure Dani was out of hearing range before speaking, "Hi, I have this problem. It's with this girl and I don't know what to do. Each and everyday I think about her and it's really tearing me apart."

"I'm sorry, but I specialize in rape counseling, I can connect you to someone who can help you with that." She said and began filing through the numbers of other counselors.

"No, no, I've already found you. Please, help me."

Olivia was quiet for a moment, "Okay, what's your name?" She asked.

Elliot thought of different names other than his own but not completely lying to her. If he gave her his name, then she'd know for sure. He had to think of a nickname that wasn't the one she was used to. "Lee," He responded.

"Okay, what's her name?"

He wanted to say Olivia so badly but he couldn't. He had to make this as oblivious as possible. He let out a deep breath and said, "Viv. Her name is Viv."


	5. Guidance

**Author's Note: Just a warning, I'm thinking of adding some mature scenes in this story. If I choose to do so, I'll be changing the rating from T to M. **

**Chapter Five: Guidance**

"Viv and I used to work together. We were best friends." Elliot said.

"What happened to her?"

"She walked out of my life. When I realized she was never coming back, someone new instantly took her place and she's different from Viv. We eventually started dating. Even though she's different, I always find qualities I love about Viv in this girl and it only makes me think about her more. I'm trying to move on by dating other people but it's not working because it happens with every one of them."

"Maybe you should tell Viv how you feel." Olivia suggested. The two have been talking for three hours straight and it was getting dark. They both had slow days at work and spent those long hours talking about "Lee's" problem.

"Hold on one second, please." Elliot said and put Olivia on hold when he noticed Dani approaching him.

"You've been on that phone for hours, how about you come home with me?" He said and kissed his neck.

"You get that fire problem fixed?" He asked. Dani chuckled, "It's been fixed but you'd never know because we always go to your place."

"I really want to Dani, but I need to stay on the phone."

"Who are you even talking to?" Dani asked irritably and sat on his desk.

"My daughter. She's having trouble at home and in school." Elliot lied.

"Fine, but you owe me a night." Dani said. She kissed him goodbye and left the precinct.

While Olivia was on hold, Ryan knocked on her door and stepped in.

"Hey, you're still on the phone? Have you eaten lunch or anything?"

Olivia shook her head, "No, but I'll eat when I get home."

"Come on, I'll take you dinner."

"No, I have to stay here. He needs help and I can't turn him down for my own problems. I'll talk to you later."

Ryan sighed, "I'm gonna go to the store and get you something. No ifs, ands, or buts, about it." He said and left. Soon after the door closed, the line picked up.

"Olivia?"

"Yes, I'm here."

"How do you handle stress?"

"Sometimes I go to the gym and sometimes I like to take hot baths. If you're into that kind of thing, light candles in the room and dim the lights. It's very tranquil."

Elliot tried his hardest not to get excited over the thought of Olivia taking a bath in a room full of candles.

" I'm sure your boyfriend doesn't give you any problems."

"Lee, we're here to talk about you."

"I know, but I don't like this professional feeling. It would feel better if we both got to know each other."

Olivia became suspicious, "Do I know you from somewhere?" She asked. That's when Elliot became nervous she was beginning to recognize his voice. He tried to alter his voice a little.

"It's not that, I just like to be comfortable with the person I tell all my problems to. I'd like to make sure they're not going to go and tell it to their buddies over a cup of coffee."

Olivia sighed, "I can assure you, that won't happen. If you really have to know, I don't have a boyfriend. I've never really had a successful relationship. There is this one guy I work with but I don't think it's going to work out."

"Why not?" Elliot tried to act surprised.

"My feelings for this other guy are keeping me from looking elsewhere. We used to work together, just like you and Viv."

"Really? What did you do before this?"

"I was a cop. He was my partner. I've loved him for years and I went on an undercover job a few months ago. The whole time I was gone, I couldn't stop thinking about him so I decided to tell him I loved him when I got the chance to go back. When I did, I saw him kissing his current girlfriend in a bar parking lot." Olivia chuckled and looked out the window. There was silence on the other line. Elliot was stunned. If only he waited a few seconds longer, he would be with working with Olivia, seeing her everyday, and most importantly kissing her.

Olivia caught the silence and spoke up, "I'm sorry, what I meant by telling you that is, tell this girl how you feel before you regret it. Who knows, maybe she feels the same way. If she finds someone worthwhile, it might be too late. It was for me."

"You know, Olivia, maybe it's not too late to tell this guy you love him."

"Oh, so now you're the therapist?" Olivia asked, he didn't see it but he could tell she was smiling by the sound of her voice.

"Since you're helping me, I was trying to return the favor." Elliot replied.

Olivia stared at the phone for several silent seconds. She was still smiling but nobody would know but her. Something about him made her feel at peace. Some of her problems she faced over the past three months seemed to have gone away when she talked to him in a matter of hours. The only thing that prevented her from identifying Elliot's voice was the fact she hasn't spoken to Elliot on the phone for three months straight. She used to do that everyday before she left.

"Olivia?"

Olivia blinked out of her thoughts and leaned in towards the speaker, "Sorry! I'm here, I'm here."

"It's really getting late and I should be getting home."

"Oh, alright." Olivia almost sounded disappointed.

"But, I'll call you tomorrow. I really enjoy talking to you."

For a moment, they both felt like they weren't at work at all. Olivia forgot he called for advice in the first place. She liked having a casual conversation with him, he was easy to talk to. She couldn't help but think of Elliot while she talked to him. Maybe this caller is what she's looking for in a guy but she couldn't suggest anything to him. He was now her client and if she suggested going on a date with him it could be against the rules.

"Okay, I'll be expecting your call tomorrow then." Olivia said before they hung up. She stared at the phone, she was lost in her thoughts, she was confused. There was Elliot, the man she loved since her second year working with SVU. He protected her and cared for her but she waited to long and he found someone else. Then there was Ryan. She's only known him for a few months but she knew he would treat her well and she could have a good relationship with him. Then there was this mystery caller that made her rethink things as they spoke. Even though they've known each other for hours, she felt some kind of connection with him. The only thing she could hope for was that this wasn't a joke. It was all so confusing and the decision was only contributing to the stressful idea that Elliot couldn't be hers as long as he was with Dani. If she decided to go with Ryan, then her mind would constantly be on Elliot. If she opened up to Elliot, then that could ruin their friendship, what was left of it anyway. Her initial idea was to move away from her life with SVU and that didn't work at all.

Maybe the real problem was she needed to move farther.

**Author's note: This chapter was a little slow but I have a few new ideas up my sleeve. ;D**


	6. Stranger

**Chapter Six: Stranger**

Over the next two weeks, Olivia and Lee talked on the phone for hours everyday. They stopped talking like they were just a therapist and patient and began to talk like they were close friends. She told Lee that maybe the best thing to do is try his best to get over this Viv girl. The problem was, Olivia was going through something extremely similar and she wasn't even following her own guidance. Over that time of giving Lee advice, Olivia made a decision she knew was going to be hard to tell her friends. Elliot was going to be the first to find out.

Olivia was about to leave for work when she heard a knock on the door. When she answered it, Elliot was standing there and smiled when she appeared in the doorway.

"Be proud, after all this time I remembered you address." He said when she let him in.

Olivia chuckled, "Good job. What's up?" She asked.

"Well, I was just on my way to work and decided to drop by and say hello." He caught the look Olivia was giving him. She didn't believe that was his sole purpose to stop by. Then, he looked around and noticed the dozens of cardboard boxes stacked one on top of the other. "What are the boxes for? Spring cleaning?"

"El, it's February and no, I'm not." She breathed in deeply after seeing his confused face expression. He was obviously waiting for an answer, "I'm moving to Los Angeles to work with their Special Victims Unit." She bit her lower lip and awaited Elliot's reaction.

Elliot couldn't believe what he just heard. Olivia was moving? It was one thing if she was just going to New Jersey or something but he didn't know how he could handle the fact his best friend is all the way across the country. His jaw tensed up and he tried not to punch something. "When are you coming back?" He dared to ask.

"I'm not." Olivia was hesitant to answer at first but she felt he had the right to know.

"You're kidding." He said and laughed lightly, trying his best to not believe it. She shook her head slowly.

Elliot just stared at her. His piercing blue eyes were fixed on her dark brown ones. He looked to his right and noticed her plane ticket on the kitchen counter. He picked it up slowly and read the plane departure information.

"Friday at six thirty." He choked out. Olivia just stared at him, not blinking once. "That's just perfect!" Elliot slammed down the tickets instantly, causing Olivia to flinch. He fixed his gaze back on this woman who was so foreign to him now. He reached into his pocket which made Olivia's heart speed up a little. He pulled out a small square piece of paper with a ribbon on top.

"There's this formal dinner for the NYPD officers and Cragen, you remember him don't you? Well, he wanted me to give you an extra invitation. It's on Friday at six so if you still give a damn about your friends back in New York, then we'll see you there." He set the invitation on top of the plane ticket.

"Elliot, I don't want to leave. I really don't, but it's-"

"It's what, Olivia? It's not like you have a choice? Because you really do if you start by just telling me what the hell is going on with you."

"No, El. It's…complicated." She sighed in defeat. Elliot only chuckled in disbelief.

"The Olivia Benson I used to know never ran away from something that was 'too complicated', she always faced those incidents. The Olivia Benson I became friends with never quit anything without telling anybody." He stopped for a second and stared at her dead in the eye, "The Olivia Benson I _fell in love with_ would tell me everything that's going on in her life but obviously she's gone."

Olivia blinked and let the last sentence register in her mind, "You love me?"

"No, I love the _old_ Olivia and I sure as hell miss her. I know nothing about this stranger standing in front of me."

"El, I-"

"Just let me know when she returns, okay?" He made his way past her and out the door.

Olivia held up her hands to keep him from leaving but it was too late. She watched him walk out of the doorway, turn the corner, and leave her sight. She walked over to the counter and stared at the tickets then at the invitation. After a few seconds of quiet reflection, she brought her right hand up to her face and shielded her eyes while she let the tears fall. Her sobbing was audible, especially to those who were in the hallway on her floor.

When Elliot left her apartment, he was going to make his way down the stairs to his car but the urge to punch something was strong and prevented him from going anywhere. He didn't strike anything for two reasons, he didn't want Olivia to hear it and know he was still outside her door and he didn't want to damage the building and end up paying for repairs. He leaned against the wall and took multiple deep breaths. At that time, he began to hear a noise that sounded out of the ordinary. Slowly, he made his way back to Olivia's open door and peeked in. Olivia sat in front of the two offers to go to something major. He knew she was deciding on whether she wanted to stay in New York or go to Los Angeles. How badly he wanted to go over there and console her was indescribable. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and stroke her hair while telling her everything was going to be okay. The truth was, he wasn't even sure if everything was going to be okay or not between them. Elliot stuffed his hands in his jacket pocket and walked towards the stairwell, Olivia's weeping only becoming a faint sound to his ears as he descended to the ground level to his awaiting car.


	7. Separation

**Author's Note: If you're wondering whether the end of this story is close, it might be it might not. I have some new ideas and I'm trying to make them fit with the story line. c:**

**Chapter Seven: Separation**

Three days passed since Elliot and Olivia had their argument and it was the day before either Olivia had to leave the state or she went to that dinner. So far, her decision to go to L.A. was final. She quit her job as a counselor and she was already missing that. Ever since Elliot left her apartment that day, she didn't talk to Lee at all. She planned on calling him to tell him that she was moving when she was done packing up her things in her office. The last thing she needed to pack were the pictures on her desk. When she turned her attention to them, she heard her door open and Ryan walk in.

"So you're really leaving, huh?" He asked.

"Yeah," Olivia sighed and smiled weakly.

"Well, I'm really going to miss you, Olivia." He said and walked over to her with his hands in his pockets. "I wish you didn't have to leave." He whispered and began kissing her neck and got her to sit on her desk. Olivia was into it at first until she began to think about Elliot again. Then, she felt his hands wander down her body. One trailed up her shirt while the other slid between her legs. Olivia began to fidget a little when he pulled her pants down and his hand went to her panties.

"Ryan, this feels wrong."

"Relax. It'll be just like the other night."

Olivia sighed and moved away from him. She pulled up her pants and pulled down her shirt. Not only was she going through a rough time with Elliot, she's going to relive the Cassidy incident at this very moment.

"The other night wasn't supposed to turn out like it did." She began. Ryan's face instantly darkened with confusion, "We had too much to drink and it was my fault. I wasn't supposed to kiss you. I was too drunk, confused, and upset to think about what was going on in the moment."

"I didn't want to believe it but I knew it was true. You were upset over Elliot and his girlfriend." Ryan said and crossed his arms.

"What are you talking about?" Olivia replied.

"Come on, I saw how you looked at him that night. It didn't register until he said you two were partners." He picked up a photo of Olivia and Elliot hugging and smiling, "You're in love with him." He concluded before setting it back down.

_Am I that transparent? _Olivia thought to herself as she looked at Ryan.

"I was only foolish to think you and I could work but your love for him must be strong. The only thing left is, hoping you change your mind and decide to stay in New York." He smiled, "If not, I anticipate that we talk soon once you get there." He hugged her goodbye and smiled once more at her before leaving.

Olivia stared at the door and then at the photos and thought about everything. She told Lee to let this girl go and move on but she wasn't following her own advice. She couldn't let Elliot go. As she thought about it, she and Lee were going through something extremely similar. Then she began to put the pieces together. Lee used to work with Viv and then she was replaced by someone new when she left work. Olivia and Elliot used to work together, Olivia left to go undercover and then left permanently. She was replaced by Dani and she and Elliot began dating. What made Olivia really angry? The names. Lee was a nickname of Elliot and Viv was only one letter away from Liv. She knew Lee's voice sounded too familiar. Elliot has been fake calling her this whole time with some stupid story. No wonder she had such an easy time talking to him and they became close. Anger built up inside of Olivia more and more with every realization. She felt stupid for not figuring this out before and furious at Elliot for playing her. She grabbed the photos and stuffed them in the last box before closing it. She was done with Elliot and she wasn't going to miss a plane over him.

Elliot became more and more distant with Dani since he began talking to Olivia on a therapist standpoint. Then he became more aloof when he snapped at Olivia back at her apartment. He didn't bother to call her at Lee after that, or call her at all for that matter. If she wanted to move away from everybody then why should they even bother talking? Elliot sat at his desk and stared down at the papers for the current case he was working on. He couldn't concentrate on anything but what's been going on. The whole reason why he went to Olivia's apartment in the first place was to ask her to that dinner with him. Then he noticed she had other plans for that night. He wasn't sure if she told the others. He didn't, that was for sure. It wasn't really Elliot's business so he wasn't going to say anything but if Olivia didn't mention anything by the night of the dinner, then Elliot might as well tell all of her old friends.

It was dark and most people had gone home for the night. Elliot ended up agreeing to go with Dani to the dinner and even though they were dating, he wasn't too thrilled about it. Ever since he connected with Olivia again, he stopped wanting a relationship with Dani more and more. The only thing that kept him from ending it was the fact he was still her partner and if she got upset, she may try and shoot him. He never knew how Dani handled rejection and he didn't want to be the unlucky guy to find out.

Dani walked up to her desk to collect a few files before going home. She looked up at Elliot for a moment and sighed. That's when she made her way over to him and sat on the edge of his desk.

"El, can I talk to you for a second?" She asked. Elliot looked up and waited for her to continue.

"I don't know how I should say this but, I talked to my ex husband yesterday night and we've decided to work things out. Plus, I know that you've been occupied with a few things yourself."

Elliot only swallowed. Part of him didn't really care that Dani was dumping him but the other part felt totally helpless. Now who was he going to this dinner with? Kathy? The chance of that happening is as much of a snowball's chance in hell.

"I can still go with you to that dinner tomorrow but we just can't…you know."

Elliot nodded, "I understand. Thanks for telling me." He said and smiled weakly before going back to his papers. He really wasn't upset over Dani, just the fact he lost two people in one week.

Dani stared at him sympathetically. "I'll see you tomorrow then." She said and rubbed his shoulder before leaving.

"Yeah, see you." Elliot muttered and continued not to concentrate of the case papers.

**Author's Note: Sorry this was kind of a boring chapter but I promise the next one will be good! **


	8. Return

**Author's Note: This is the long waited chapter! Sorry for the delay but it's finally here!**

**Chapter Eight: Return**

The following evening, a black car screeched to a halt in front of Olivia's apartment building. It wasn't Elliot who got out but Casey. She was dressed in a navy blue gown that sparkled in the right light. Her hair was styled in a elegant up-do and pinned to perfection. Her black heels clicked against the sidewalk as she rushed towards the door, catching it right before it closed. She made her way up the stairs and to Olivia's apartment. When she got to her door, it was unlocked. The boxes were still there but Olivia wasn't.

"Shit." She whispered to herself and looked around. That's when she noticed one of the neighbors walking out of his apartment.

"Excuse me, did the owner of this house leave already?" Casey asked.

"Yes, she did. She said her goodbyes and headed straight for the airport." The man replied. Casey thanked him and rushed back to her car.

Casey cursed to herself when she raced down the expressway. She even got to turn on the sirens and sped to the airport. She knew this was against the rules and she did a lot of persuading to get the keys and a police badge from Elliot without giving him the real reason as to why she wanted to borrow the police car. The highway was a little congested but Casey made it to the airport before Olivia's plane departed. She got through security with the badge and hurried toward the flight display board and quickly reported to the same terminal Olivia was supposed to be at. When she got there, she frantically searched for the brunette. She didn't see Olivia anywhere nor did she see the plane outside. Casey let out a sigh when she figured the worst; Olivia already left.

"Casey?"

Casey turned around to see Olivia standing behind her with a cup of coffee in her hand and a bemused expression on her face. She smiled and let out another sigh but this was one of relief.

"Liv, you're still here!"

"Yeah, my plane got delayed. What are you doing here?"

"You're making a huge mistake. You can't leave!"

"Why not?"

"For the past few days, Elliot's been miserable. He's been staying late, he doesn't talk to people, and we've all figured out why. He misses you, Olivia. He misses you and he loves you. We all love and miss you but it's different with Elliot. He's literally in love with you."

"He told me but he was yelling at me at the same time." Olivia chuckled, "Plus, he's with Dani."

"He broke up with Dani last night. The _only_ reason he came to your apartment that day was to ask you to the dinner. He went with Dani instead but it's completely casual. We had a long talk today at work. He told me everything from your phone conversations to the day he went to your apartment. You told him you loved him without knowing it and when he told you he loved you, you're preventing yourself from believing it."

"Why are you concerned with this, Casey?" Olivia asked.

"Because the two of you not working side by side is like John without conspiracy theories. One is just not right without the other."

Casey's stare was serious and she didn't even blink when she lectured Olivia. Olivia only stared back.

"Now, if you truly love him you will go to that damn dinner and prove it to him. Getting on that plane will only show you're scared to realize that you two are meant for each other."

Olivia exhaled deeply and stared back at the terminal. She turned back to Casey, "I packed all my dresses and makeup. I have nothing to wear."

Casey smirked, "I have the perfect dress that just might fit you." She said and pulled Olivia back to the car.

The ballroom was large and filled with men in tuxedos and ties and women in glamorous gowns and expensive jewelry. Elliot, dressed in a formal suit with a black tie, stood next to Dani and conversed with Fin and Munch. Elliot didn't talk much, he only listened and sipped on white wine. Dani caught the depressed tension with Elliot, everybody else was just as upset over Olivia's sudden leave but Elliot took it the hardest.

"Come on, El. Cheer up." Dani said.

"Yeah man, Liv wouldn't want to see you this upset." Fin said.

"I know." Elliot replied solemnly.

"Then, I suggest you brighten up before you make a fool of yourself." Munch said, his attention was elsewhere. The three turned to him for a further explanation and then followed his gaze.

"What are you talking about, John?" Elliot asked and turned around to see Olivia emerging from the crowd. She was dressed up in a black handkerchief styled evening dress with halter straps, a deep v cut in the front, and a slit running down the left side. Her hair down with a side bang swooping over her left eye and framed her made up face nicely. Lastly, her matching black shoes elevated her to an appropriate height that was formal yet incredibly sexy. Not only was Elliot astounded that she showed up, he was even more stunned at her appearance. The second reason was mainly why he couldn't take his eyes off of her. He watched as she looked around and his gaze was interrupted by someone's hand on his shoulder. He forced himself to take his eyes off of her and turn to the person behind him.

"The keys to your car, and your badge." Casey said with pride in her voice, "You have it easy with airports. All you have to do is flash your badge to security and you're in. Who knew?"

"You got Olivia to stay? How did you do that?" He looked over at Olivia, who was now talking to Cragen. He seemed just as surprised as everybody else.

"Elliot, I'm a lawyer, it's my job to persuade people." Casey said and watched as Elliot and Olivia made eye contact, "Have fun." She encouraged and walked off.

Olivia looked over at Elliot and smiled. She made her way over to him when he returned the smile.

"Why'd you come?" He asked, not that he was complaining.

"Well, last time I checked this was a banquet for NYPD officers."

Elliot nodded, a bit confused, and then she lifted up her hand. Holding her old police badge, Olivia smiled. Elliot's eyes brightened and he smiled exuberantly. He was at loss for words and all he could do was smile but somehow he wanted her to know how happy he was. He wrapped his hand around Olivia's arm and with a gentle pull, he wrapped his arms around and hugged her. He could feel Olivia relax a little in his arms as he felt her arms embrace him. He knew she was smiling against his shoulder. They released the hug and he was right, she had a pretty smile spread across her face.

"Let's talk privately, El." She said and walked to the nearest corridor and down an empty hallway. Elliot followed her. The two walked in silence for a moment before Olivia spoke up.

"You know," She began, "I was so angry at you for lying to me and faking a personal problem just to talk to me for hours on end." She chuckled, "Then, when I got to the airport, I began to think about it again and I realized, I was angry at myself for thinking everything would be okay if I just ignored my feelings and left."

Elliot was confused, was she mad at him or was she grateful? She stopped and turned to him. Before he could blink, her hand connected with his cheek with one powerful slap. When it was over, he stared at her in total bewilderment. Then his eyes darkened with anger.

"What the hell was that for?" He snapped.

"For lying to me, you asshole." She replied.

"I lied to make you stay! You wouldn't have listened if I told you myself. Trust me, I tried." He was raising his voice now.

Olivia stared at him for a second and then ran her fingers through her hair, "Coming here was a mistake."

"Look Olivia, I don't know why or what you're so damn confused about but you and I both know what you want. You're just refusing to accept it."

"Yeah? What is it then?"

"To stay here in New York. It may not be working with me but everybody knows you want to be here with the ones you love."

"I don't need to hear all that, Elliot." Olivia turned around and began to walk away.

"I'm not letting you leave again, Liv!" He shouted at her and began to follow her.

"Do your worst, El." Olivia shouted back.

Elliot sped up behind her and grasped her bicep and turned her around. It made it easier since she turned around on her own to see what his problem was. When she twirled around completely and was facing him, she lifted her hand to slap him again. This time, Elliot acted first. He pulled her close to him and before she could even think about what to do to him next, his lips met hers. With her hand still raised, Olivia blinked in astonishment, lowered her hand onto his chest and pulled away.

"El," She said in a hushed voice, "Back at the bar when we were playing that game, the three things you said. Was that really the true one out of the three?" She looked down shyly when she spoke and looked up at him when she was finished. Her hand was gripping onto the collar of his jacket while his arm was folded around her waist.

His eyes and smile was warm, "Liv, they were _all_ true." He replied.

Olivia's lips curled into a smile, "You cheating son of a bitch." She laughed and pulled him by his collar, forcing his lips back onto hers. Elliot smiled into the kiss and felt her fingers run through his hair. Instantly, he let out a low groan. He pressed his hands against her waist and turned her against the wall. With her back pinned to the wall, Elliot's hand traveled down her waist and traced her curves all the way to her left leg that was exposed due to the opening in her dress. He stopped his hand at the bottom of her thigh, provoking Olivia to elevate her leg and press it against his waistline. Her arms were clasped around his neck and her lips never left his, not even for a second.

Elliot's hand began to travel again. This time, he found the strap of her panties and he tugged on it. Olivia tilted her head to the side, which only made Elliot's lips move to her neck. She looked down at Elliot's hand hidden in her dress. Olivia broke the sounds of moans and heavy breathing with words.

"El, here?" She questioned. She was panting, her heart was pounding, and her mind was cloudy but she was still aware of what was about to happen.

"We're alone." Elliot grumbled into her neck.

"But what if somebody finds us?" She replied. She really didn't mind doing this with him, just the thought of being interrupted really bothered her or worse, if Cragen caught them. She just got her job back and she didn't want to lose it again so quickly.

"I was going to throw you a welcome back party, Liv. It was going to be great but Elliot's already thought of something better." Came a voice.

Olivia gasped and they both jumped. Elliot cursed under his breath and they both turned to the group standing a few feet away from them. Munch was the one who spoke up and the other two were Casey and Fin. Elliot and Olivia forced themselves off one another and scrambled to get fixed up.

"We're not surprised." Fin said blatantly.

"Actually, we're quite relieved you two got it out in the open. The tension was killing us." Casey added.

"Anyway, the real reason why we're here isn't to crash your petting party. Cragen wanted us to find you because he thought you two got lost. Boy, was he wrong."

Olivia and Elliot chuckled nervously and looked at one another. Without anything further, they followed the three back into the dining hall.

**Author's Note: The E/O doesn't stop here! c;**


	9. Heartache

**Chapter Nine: Heartache**

Two days passed, Elliot woke up on a foreign couch. What he woke up on was not the couch cushions but something much warmer. His body was pressed against Olivia's warm one with her face buried in his neck, her hair hanging over her shoulder, and his arms wrapped around her waist. Then he realized, he was on Olivia's couch. He spent the night getting Olivia's things back from the airport and helping her unpack some of them. They didn't get far; there were so many boxes left unopened and Olivia's suitcase was in the middle of the floor, still full. He remembered the previous night perfectly. They were in the middle of unpacking when they began to kiss. The kissing turned into a heavy make out session. When they settled down, they talked until Olivia was the first one to fall asleep then Elliot quickly followed.

Elliot listened to Olivia's steady breathing in his ear. The aroma of her sweet scent still lingered on her body. He didn't want to let her go but he knew he had to eventually. Finally, she began to stir. Dulcet moans of her awakening filled his ear. He couldn't help but smile. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her soft lips curl into a smile but he wasn't sure if her eyes were open or not.

"Good morning," Elliot's voice was hoarse. Olivia only replied in a soft chuckle.

"I thought you were going home." She replied sleepily.

"And I thought you were leaving the state, but that never happened either."

Olivia smiled, sat up and began to walk towards the back of her apartment, "I'm going to take a shower," She began and it was clear in her voice there was something he could benefit from. She stopped and looked over her shoulder seductively, "Come with?" She questioned.

Temptation has never been stronger for Elliot until that very moment as he watched her hips swing when she walked but he knew if he joined her then they'd be late for work. They couldn't walk into work late with an excuse like this.

"Liv, you know the rules." He warned but he wasn't convincing. Olivia only chuckled and turned into the bathroom.

Elliot never knew how much of a tease Olivia could be when she really wanted to. He never thought it could get any worse until they arrived at work. When everybody was occupied with their work, Olivia wandered over to Elliot's desk as if she had something to show him.

"El, look at this." She said loud enough so nobody would get suspicious. Some people looked up but quickly dismissed it when they figured it was nothing. When she had his attention, the lustful look in her eyes returned.

"What's up, Liv?" Elliot replied casually.

Olivia leaned over the edge of Elliot's desk and she slid a piece of paper towards him. He looked down, the page was blank so he looked back up at her.

"I have this…problem." She lowered her voice. Elliot raised an eyebrow and his eyes traveled down to her exposed cleavage. She was doing this on purpose. She was seducing him at his desk, in front of everybody.

She licked her lips provocatively before speaking, "I really like my partner and I wish I can have a little more…private time with him." Her eyes were locked on his. He could tell she wanted him as much as he wanted her at that moment.

"I think there's an interrogation room open. I'd like to hear more about this problem." He suggested. Olivia was about to respond when Cragen called for her. They both sighed in disappointment and Olivia went to him obediently.

Olivia was sent to pick up some files and talk to people. She was gone for several hours and it grew dark by the time everybody started to leave. Elliot waited for her to get back because they would be alone by the time Olivia came back.

Elliot began to finish up some work when he felt a hand on his shoulder He didn't look to see who it was because he knew it was Olivia. Finally, she came back! He tried to make himself look occupied and not notice. He smirked and opened his mouth to speak.

"I'm pretty sure that room is still open. Unless you want to be someplace comfortable. We can always go back to my place."

"That sounds nice but maybe some other time." Replied the voice but it wasn't Olivia. Elliot whipped around in his chair and saw Dani Beck standing over him. She was smiling weakly and her eyes were puffy and red. Elliot's face turned into concern. He may not have feelings for her anymore but he still cared for her as a friend. She knew by the look on his face, she needed to start speaking.

"Remember when I told you my husband and I were working on things?" She asked. Elliot nodded and continued to listen, "Well, we didn't. We tried but it turns out he was with someone while you and I were together and he can't get over her. Then I did a lot of thinking and I realized I'm still not over you."

Elliot's face darkened. He immediately thought about Olivia, "Dani, I really don't want to put you down any further but Olivia and I…"

Dani nodded, "I figured as much. I bet you two have always had a little chemistry since the day you two walked through the door, huh? The way you spoke about her with the others, it was pretty obvious." Dani chuckled and shrugged as if it was no big deal but her eyes watered up. She looked away so he wouldn't see her cry.

Elliot only looked at her sympathetically.

"I knew I could never compare to your _precious_ Olivia." Her voice was vile and full of jealousy but Elliot only figured she was upset with the whole night so he didn't respond to what she said. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come here. I just needed to get this off my chest and you were the best listener." Her voice cracked and she looked down. Elliot sighed and looked at the clock. It was getting later, Olivia wasn't back yet, Dani was crying, and he didn't just want to kick her out for his own selfish reasons which were to be intimate with Olivia.

"Come on, I'll get you some coffee and take you home." He said and walked out of the precinct with her. He pulled out his cell phone and sent a text message to Olivia.

_Liv,_

_Meet me for coffee. I'll explain when you get there._

_El_

The two drove to the shop and bought coffee. Elliot made sure to save a seat next to him so Olivia could sit there.

"I told Olivia we were here, if you don't mind." Elliot said sheepishly. Dani only chuckled, "I don't care." She muttered. Deep down, she did. Her eyes traveled up to something and then quickly back down to Elliot. Dani sighed and walked over to him. She sat down on the seat Elliot saved for Olivia.

"Elliot, I just need to remind myself. One more time." She whispered.

"Remind yourself of wha-" Elliot's words were cut off by Dani's lips. Elliot stared at her closed eyes in shock. He pushed her off of him.

"What the hell are you doing?" He snapped quietly so he wouldn't make a scene. Then he felt a disruption. He quickly turned to the door where Olivia stood, shocked, pained, and angry. It was clear by her glossy eyes she witnessed the whole thing. A few tears raced down her cheeks and she had her mouth open to say something but no words came out.

"Liv, I-" Elliot began. He didn't know what to say. If he told her the truth, Dani would just deny the whole thing. It's not like he had time to explain anything, anyway. As soon as the first words escaped Elliot's mouth, Olivia turned around and walked out the café. Elliot didn't turn back to look at Dani's smirk of victory, he just grabbed his coat and followed her out into the cold.


	10. Fight

**Chapter Ten: Fight**

It was dark and the streets were basically empty in the area. By the time Elliot exited the café, he had to look in a few directions until he found a sulking figure walking underneath the streetlights. He immediately followed the silhouette. When he caught up with Olivia, he placed his hand on her shoulder to talk to her. She whipped around and forced his hand off her shoulder. She stopped crying but she was still angry.

"Olivia, let me explain." He pleaded.

"You don't need to explain, Elliot. It was pretty clear as to what happened back there."

"It's not what you think." Elliot argued.

"You know what I think? I think you set this up. You called me over here just so you two can put on that little show. Well, congratulations. If I had an Emmy, you'd be the first to win." She replied.

"You know me better than that." Elliot was getting a bit angry now.

"I thought I did. I really did but you were right back at my apartment. I guess the three months apart has changed both of us. Not just me."

"I haven't changed, Olivia. Please, if you just let me explain…"

"Go to hell." She snapped and continued walking.

Elliot watched her walk until he couldn't see her. Then, he turned around to see Dani standing behind him with a smirk on her face.

The following morning, Olivia stood in front of the group of screens and replayed a black and white tape over and over again.

"Liv, have you seen Elliot?" Fin asked as he approached her from behind.

"No." Olivia said sharply. She didn't even turn around.

"You're only torturing yourself by watchin' that. What are you tryin' to find, anyway?"

T.A.R.U accessed the security tape from the coffee shop the previous night and gave it to Olivia. She wanted to convince herself there was something wrong and Elliot was telling the truth and it really wasn't what she thought.

"Wait a minute." She muttered to herself and rewound the tape to right before she walked in. "She saw me coming in right before she kissed Elliot. She's smiling when I left!"

"But why'd Elliot kiss her?" Fin asked with disgust. He obviously watched the whole tape with Olivia.

"She kissed Elliot. It was involuntary and I was a complete bitch about it." Olivia said and shot up from the chair and grabbed the car keys off of the desk along with her coat.

"Where you goin'?" Fin asked.

"To get Elliot." Olivia replied and walked out of the door.

Olivia pulled up in front of Elliot's house and hurried out of the car. When she knocked on the door, she wasn't expecting a certain someone to answer the door. Dani stood in front of her in one of Elliot's bathrobes. She looked surprised that Olivia was at the door.

"Oh, good morning, Liv." Dani said.

"It's Olivia." Olivia replied vindictively.

Dani only looked at her. She didn't say it but she was definitely giving off the "what do you want?" vibe.

"Where's Elliot?"

"Right. This _is _his house. Listen, about last night. He wanted to wait to tell you but he got a little anxious and the fact you had see that just makes me feel so bad."

"Where. Is. Elliot?" Olivia retorted.

"The bedroom. We _were_ busy. So, if you don't mind…" Dani began to close the door but Olivia slammed her hand on the surface to keep her from shutting it. Her eyes were angry and she made it clear for Dani. She pushed past Dani and went to Elliot's bedroom. Dani quickly followed her. When Olivia got there, Elliot was in his underwear. He obviously heard Olivia come by.

"Get dressed." Olivia demanded. Elliot only stared at her.

"Excuse me?" Dani protested.

Olivia turned to Dani, "This asshole already lost my trust. He's not going to be the reason I lose my job."

"I tried explaining it to you!" Elliot replied. Then Olivia looked at him in a way he knew she was going to save him from Dani.

"Explain what? That Dani came onto you? That's bullshit, Elliot. Now get dressed."

"No, she didn't. The whole reason I called you over that night was to tell you that she and I are back together. It's not my fault you were a bitch about it."

Olivia slapped him across the face, he only smiled.

"Hey!" Dani exclaimed.

"Once a bitch, always a bitch, I guess." Elliot said and went into the bathroom with his clothes.

Once the door closed, Olivia let out a deep breath and sat on the bed. Dani stood in front of her with her arms crossed.

"You should probably leave. Once he thinks about his arguments, it gets pretty bad."

"I know what you're doing and I'm telling you right now, it's not going to work." Dani replied.

"What are you talking about?"

"You're trying to get rid of me so you can be alone with Elliot. Well, tell you what, you wait for Elliot in the car and I'll say goodbye."

Olivia chuckled, "No, that's not it at all."

"I saw how you two kissed the other night. Let me tell you this now, Elliot was drunk so he probably didn't know who you were that night. He still loves me."

"Really? Last time I checked when you force yourself on someone who loves you, they don't push you off." Olivia stood up and walked towards the door to knock on it, "Hurry up, Elliot! We're going to be late." She yelled.

Then she felt a tight grasp on her arm and then she was pulled to the ground. When she opened her eyes, she looked up at Dani who had Elliot's gun pointed at her.

"Stay out of our life." Dani ordered.

Then she pulled the trigger. Olivia rolled out of the way before the bullet made it's way into her skull. Olivia elbowed the back of Dani's knee so she would lose her balance. When she stumbled, she dropped the gun. Olivia grabbed the gun and unloaded it. Dani stood up and kicked Olivia in the stomach. Olivia let out grunts of pain while Dani repeatedly kicked her. Then, Dani grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. Olivia took that chance to push her into the wall and throw a single punch at her nose.

"Elliot, I hope you know your girlfriend's pretty damn crazy!" She called out and kneed her stomach. Then she felt her hair being pulled by Dani and Dani's knee collide into her stomach. Olivia pushed her onto the ground and got on top of her. The two fought each other and continuously rolled on the floor, screaming, and calling each other names until Elliot finally stepped out of the bathroom.

"What the hell is going on here?" He screamed and pulled Olivia off of Dani which ceased her punches.

"Let me go!" Olivia growled and tried to force herself out of Elliot's grip.

"Dani leave!" Elliot demanded. "Easy, Liv! Calm down." He told Olivia.

"Make her leave! Everything was fine until _she _came in!"

"You know that's a lie, Dani. Get out!"

Olivia forced herself out of Elliot's grasp and grabbed Dani's wrist. She pulled Dani towards the front door and pushed her out. After locking the door, Olivia leaned against it and took a few minutes to catch her breath. Elliot walked out and looked at her. She made eye contact with him.

"Good. You're dressed. Let's go." She panted.

Elliot looked out the window to check for Dani, "She's still out there." He looked back at Olivia for a solution. When he glanced at her, it was obvious she was more worried about the pain Dani inflicted on her than what Dani was doing outside. She was now sitting on the floor, clutching her stomach in discomfort. Her breathing was heavy and her eyes were partially open.

"Oh my God." Elliot muttered and rushed to her.


	11. Love Affair

**Author's Note: This is going to be the last chapter. I don't want to keep continuing the story to the point where it gets really boring, so this seems like a good place to stop. Admittedly, it lasted longer than I intended. I hope you enjoyed this story! I do have a new one in progress, it's called "It Only Made Me Stronger." **

**Thanks for reading this one! I love your support! **

**I admit, that was a very confusing chapter and for those who are confused over the Dani, Olivia, Elliot thing. Elliot and Olivia are still in love but they only pretended to have that fight to get Dani out of the picture. Hopefully this chapter will clear things up.**

Ch. 11

Elliot handed Olivia an ice pack, which she placed to her head. She tilted her head back and let out a sigh.

"Why was she here?" Olivia asked without emotion. She didn't want to make her headache worsen.

"Before you say anything, we didn't-"

Olivia closed her eyes in irritation, "_Why_ was _she_ here, Elliot?"

"After you left, she was still upset so she insisted she stayed at my house. I only agreed because she wouldn't leave me alone. Liv, we never slept together. That kiss was-"

"Not your fault, I know El. I saw the security tapes and she kissed you. She planned this so I would see and get mad."

"When I sent you that text last night, It had nothing with what I said earlier. I really wanted you to come. Everything Dani told you is a lie. Everything I said back in the bedroom was a lie. Liv. I love you and I told you I wasn't going to let you leave again."

Olivia smiled. "I love you too." She said softly. He leaned down and kissed her lips. They kissed without stopping until Olivia winced from leaning onto a bruise. "We need go back to work." She muttered with a smile.

"But you're hurt. You can just call in sick." Elliot replied.

They shared one more kiss and Olivia stood up. She threw the ice pack in Elliot's kitchen sink and walked to his front door. Elliot grabbed her by the waist and pulled her over to him. He held her close and kissed her cheek.

"We don't have to go now, Liv." He persuaded. Olivia only laughed. "El, we do. I don't want a quickie right now. It has to be someplace that's special to both of us." She said and turned around. Elliot pretended to be upset but he went with her back to the car. Olivia wanted their first time to be romantic. It didn't really matter where they were, as long as it was meaningful to the both of them.

By the time they got back to the precinct, everybody wanted to know what happened to Olivia. The bruises were hard to hide. There weren't many but the few that were there we noticeable. When Cragen came out of his office, he stopped for a second to examine Olivia and then spoke.

"What happened? Did you get into a fight?" He asked.

"Actually I did." Olivia replied.

"Well, I got a call from Dani Beck's previous unit. Elliot, an officer found her outside your house in a bathrobe trying to scratch the car with something." He said, "He took her in to see if she's okay. You know, mentally. So, I'm going to guess she's responsible for your injuries, Liv. I'll go report that."

"No, don't." Oliva said. Elliot and Cragen both gave her a look of confusion. "She's been through enough already. I'm fine." She smiled at them to confirm she's made her decision.

Cragen shrugged, "Alright. Well, you two missed most of the work day. I'm heading out. Munch and Fin already left. Olivia, you can take a few days off to get better if you need to. See you tomorrow."

With that being said, Cragen left. Olivia sat down at her desk and Elliot took his place across from her. After flipping through some papers, Elliot looked up to see Olivia smiling to herself while looking through her own files.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked. Olivia looked up an met his gaze.

"Just…everything." She replied and rested her jaw on the palm of her hand. Elliot raised his eyebrow and walked over to her.

"A lot has been going on for the past four months." He stopped and wrinkled his eyebrows, "It's _only_ been four months?" He said jokingly. They both knew it's been too long.

Olivia laughed, "You know it's been tough, El." She said.

"Yeah," He sighed and leaned against the desk, "But you know, it was worth the effort." He finished and smiled. Olivia smiled just as warmly.

Elliot leaned in and kissed her. Nobody was really around to tell them to stop. He brushed his fingertips along her jaw line and rested them in her hair. She pulled him closer to her and kissed him deeper. It began to get heavy. The two began to pant, if they went any further then someone would walk in on a surprise.

Elliot pulled away but still remained close, "I still think there's an interrogation room open. The good one." He suggested. Olivia smiled in response.

"Meet you there in ten minutes?" She implied.

"No, I can't wait that long. Now." He said and picked her up in his arms. With a laugh, Olivia latched onto him. Before Elliot continued to walk, he kissed her passionately on the lips. Olivia returned the kiss and held onto him while he took her to someplace special.

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it, I'm glad! If you think there are things I need to improve, then let me know! Be sure to check out my new story, "It Only Made Me Stronger." **


End file.
